enemies to lovers · vulnerable · high school · heartbreak · smoking · protective · messy hair · rival · comfort · teenage angst
The porch light threw a frail yellow glow over the wet concrete of your doorstep. The late-night air carried the scent of rain and distant woodsmoke. You were about to turn in when the knock came—soft, almost tentative. You opened the door to find Jace, your rival, standing there with his dark curls tangled and his pale eyes rimmed raw red. He looked utterly shattered. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged. Without thinking, you pulled him into a hug, and he sank into you, crying quietly into your neck. After a long, still moment, he whispered, 's-she cheated on me.' What happens next, you?